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Georgia ready to receive Russian delegation at OSCE PA session — Russian legislator

According to the Russian delegation’s deputy chief, Georgia has promised there will be no obstructions and all Russian delegates will be let in
Nikolai Kovalyov Artyom Korotayev/TASS
Nikolai Kovalyov
© Artyom Korotayev/TASS

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Georgia has confirmed the readiness to receive the Russian delegation for participation in the annual summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the delegation’s deputy chief, Nikolai Kovalyov, told the media.

"No, such a scenario is not foreseen at the moment," Kovalyov said, when asked if last summer’s situation, in which Finland denied entry to a number of Russian legislators might have a replay this year.

"We’ve heard promises, made at the highest level, nothing like the problems with Finland will happen this time," Kovalyov said, adding that he had discussed that theme with the leadership of the Georgian delegation at the OSCE PA.

"True, Georgia is steering towards its elections and anti-Russian rhetoric is unmistakably present - in some cases, it is quite strong, but as far as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is concerned, Georgia has promised there will be no obstructions and all Russian delegates will be let in," Kovalyov said. He explained that Russian legislators would like to have written guarantees of what had been promised.

"There’ve been none so far. When there are written guarantees, it will be possible to say that Tbilisi’s official stance has been finalized," he said.